Mask Improvisation for Actor Training and Performance: The Compelling Image [Paperback]

Sears A. Eldredge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 1996

Because mask improvisation work is relatively new in American theater training, this book is designed not only to acquaint readers with the theory of mask improvisation but to instruct them in the techniques of the method as well.

Author Sears A. Eldredge opens the book with a historical survey of the role of masks in various cultures and an overview of their use onstage. He then introduces the two major types of masks, the Neutral Mask and Character Mask, and various methods of customizing both the basic masks and the corresponding training and techniques.

Featuring dozens of improvisational exercises in the innovative spirit of Viola Spolin, and supplemented with practical appendices on mask design and construction, forms and checklists, and other classroom materials, this book is an invaluable tool for teacher and student alike, as well as compelling reading for anyone interested in acquiring a deeper understanding of masks as agents of transformation, creativity, and performance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Northwestern University Press; 1 edition (September 16, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810113651
• ISBN-13: 978-0810113657
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #423,078 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A real gem for teachers and students of Drama., March 30, 1998

By 

Kim Flintoff "drama-education.com" (Attadale, Western Australia AUSTRALIA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mask Improvisation for Actor Training and Performance: The Compelling Image (Paperback)

From the moment this book arrived I was impressed! It covers everything that every other book on Mask in theatrical training doesn't.

The book begins by giving an overview of the cultural and social uses of masks and many of the beliefs surrounding the "transformative" qualities attributed to masks. It goes on to discuss the use of mask in a historical framework and traces the theatrical uses of masks through some significant eras.

The real value of this book comes in the wide range of activities and exercises in the use of mask. Any teacher of Drama (from high school to university) can work with students through the exercises. They begin with the notion of "Neutral" and what the might mean for an actor in terms of movement and characterisation; then works through a range of increasingly defined masks to a complete "Complex Character" mask.

At all points in the process students are encouraged to experience what is offered, as well as asked to reflect and journalise about their experiences. The book could cover a course that continues for an entire year.

The book also provides templates for some basic masks, and I must say that my students (15 y.o boys) loved constructing them and putting them to use.

I recommend this book unreservedly and challenge any student or teacher to try to resist discovering the amazing effects of introducing masks into theatre training and Drama classes.

While many masks seek to conceal identity, this book offers a transparent and experiential approach to the use of mask. A must have for any serious student or teacher!